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How to Fix Your Amazon Prime Video VPN Not Working
Our Verdict
If your VPN isn’t working with Amazon Prime Video, it’s likely the streaming platform has blocked your VPN’s server IP address, or you haven’t changed your account country. The simplest way to fix Prime Video VPN errors is to change your account country and use a top-rated VPN for Prime Video.
Amazon Prime Video is available in almost every country, offering more than 8,000 movies and 2,000 TV shows.
Each country’s Prime Video catalog is different, though. What you can watch depends on your Amazon account details and your geographical location.
Top-rated VPNs spoof your geolocation and let you create an Amazon account in another country. By doing this, you can stream geo-restricted content on Prime Video from anywhere.
However, Amazon Prime Video detects and blocks a lot of VPN traffic. The typical error message you’ll get says:
“Your device is connected to the Internet using a VPN or proxy service. Please disable it and try again.”
Luckily, we’ve found several working solutions to bypass Amazon’s VPN blocks and unblock the platform’s international catalogs.
Quick Guide: 9 Ways to Fix Your Amazon Prime Video VPN Not Working
In this guide we’ll walk you through the nine ways you can bypass Prime Video VPN errors and fix your VPN not working.
We’ll also review the best VPNs that beat Amazon Prime Video’s VPN blocks effectively and consistently.
Summary: The Best Prime Video VPNs
Here’s a list of the best VPNs that avoid Prime Video’s detection:
- ExpressVPN: Overall Best VPN for Prime Video
- PrivateVPN: Cheapest VPN for Prime Video
- Windscribe Free: Best 100% Free VPN for Prime Video
Why Trust Us?
We’re fully independent and have been reviewing VPNs since 2016. Our ratings are based on our own testing results and are unaffected by financial incentives. Learn who we are and how we test VPNs.
| VPNs Tested With Prime Video | 62 |
| VPNs That Unblock Prime Video | 30 |
| Test Devices | Windows, iOS, PS5, Fire TV & Apple TV |
If you don’t already have a VPN, we’ll also demonstrate how to use a VPN to unblock different regional Prime Video libraries.
How to Fix Your VPN Not Working with Amazon Prime Video
To enforce licensing agreements struck with content owners, Amazon uses geo-location technology to detect your location and change the content library accordingly.
The platform also uses specific VPN detection methods to block VPNs and proxies, which change your IP address and make you appear in a different city or country.
You’ll know your VPN is being blocked by Amazon if you see the below error message:
Amazon uses VPN detection methods to block access outside of permitted regions.
Luckily, there are several ways to get around Amazon Prime Video’s VPN error and fix your VPN not working.
Below is a list of fixes and workarounds, if your VPN isn’t working with Prime Video:
1. Change Your Amazon Account Country
The most common reason why a VPN isn’t working with Prime Video is because you haven’t changed the country linked to your account.
Even the most effective VPNs for Prime Video won’t work if you’ve not changed your account country.
Changing your Amazon country means creating a brand new account in the country you require. You can use the same email address and billing details, at least.
Once you’ve opened a new account, and you’ve connected to a VPN server in the relevant country, you can unblock geo-restricted content previously unavailable.
2. Switch to a Different VPN Server
Content platforms like Prime Video monitor IP addresses that access their audio and video inventory.
If the same IP address is used by hundreds or thousands of users at any one time, it often indicates it belongs to a VPN or proxy service. Fortunately, they cannot keep track of them all.
Simply changing VPN server, and therefore your IP address, can sometimes work to bypass Amazon’s VPN blocks.
Amazon’s advanced VPN detection methods don’t just look at your IP address, though. They also look at other traffic data and patterns to identify and block VPN access.
If you keep running into issues, contact your VPN’s support team and ask for a list of servers they recommend for unblocking Prime Video or Freevee.
3. Update Your VPN Client
Sometimes the reason why your VPN isn’t working with Amazon Prime Video is because the VPN client installed on your device is out of date.
Older versions of VPN software often suffer from compatibility issues and are less effective than more recent versions.
To avoid this problem, make sure you’re always using the latest version of your VPN’s software.
4. Change VPN Protocol
Another potential workaround worth trying is to change your VPN’s protocol.
That’s because VPN protocols work in different ways to each other, and use unique encryption and tunneling methods.
While we have found this workaround to work at times, it is not as reliable as upgrading to a VPN we’ve verified to consistently unblock Prime Video.
Nonetheless, you can find and change your VPN protocol within the app’s settings. Try each protocol available until you find one that works, hopefully.
Change your VPN protocol to one optimized for streaming.
5. Delete Your Cookie and Cache Data
Browser cookies and cached files track your internet behavior. These web identifiers may contain traces of your real geo-location.
Amazon can use this stored browser (or app) information to figure out that you’re using a VPN, and block you.
Deleting your cookies and cache in your web browser can be an easy fix to unblock Prime Video.
Below are quick step-by-step instructions on clearing browser cookies and cache on Chrome, Safari, and even on Amazon Fire TV devices.
How to Clear Cookies and Cache in Chrome:
- Launch Chrome and click on the ellipsis (the icon with three vertical dots at the top right of the window).
- Click on More Tools, then Clear browsing data, and from the Time Range drop-down menu select All time.
- Tick Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
- Close and then reopen your Chrome browser.
- Visit the Amazon Prime Video website.
Clearing cookies and cache files in Google Chrome.
How to Clear Cookies and Cache in Safari:
- Launch Safari, go to the Safari menu then click Preferences.
- Click the Privacy tab > Manage Website Data.
- Type Amazon into the search bar, select it, then click Remove.
- Close and reopen Safari.
- Go to the Amazon Prime Video website.
Clearing cookies and cache files in Safari.
How to Clear App Cache on Your Fire TV:
- Open your Fire TV device and navigate to the Settings cog icon.
- Select Applications.
- In the Applications menu, click on Managed Installed Applications.
- Navigate to the Prime Video app and select it..
- In the app’s settings, select Clear cache and then Force stop.
- Head back to the Home screen and launch the Prime Video app.
6. Disable IPv6 Addresses
Amazon Prime Video can use your IPv6 address (if you have one) to determine your geolocation.
Sadly, many VPNs still don’t support IPv6 connections, therefore your true location will be visible if your ISP has assigned you an IPV6 address.
Follow the instructions below to disable IPv6 on your device.
How to Disable IPv6 on Windows:
- Open Network & Internet settings.
- Select Network & Sharing Center > Properties.
- Uncheck Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6).
How to Disable IPv6 on Mac:
- Open System Preferences and click Network.
- Click Advanced in the bottom right. Click the TCP/IP tab.
- Click the dropdown menu next to Configure IPv6 and choose Off.
- Click Ok > Apply.
You can also use our bespoke tool to check if your VPN is leaking your IPv6 address.
7. Upgrade to a Streaming-optimized VPN
If all of the above fixes and workarounds fail, then your VPN simply isn’t good enough.
This isn’t too surprising since in our experience many VPNs can’t bypass Prime’s VPN blocks. We found that only 32 VPNs work reliably with Prime without being detected.
That’s because changing your IP address isn’t always enough. You really need a streaming-optimized VPN that can better mask its traffic and bypass stricter VPN detection methods.
Only the best Prime Video VPNs have constantly changing IP addresses and obfuscation technology that successfully evades detection.
To beat the Prime Video VPN error, we currently recommend using ExpressVPN.
8. Use Smart DNS
Another option to unblock Prime Video is to use a Smart DNS proxy.
Highly-rated VPNs, like ExpressVPN, include a Smart DNS service with their VPN subscription.
Smart DNS proxies route web traffic through a proxy server and then onto the destination website or app. The main difference with a VPN is that a proxy doesn’t encrypt (or obfuscate) traffic.
While we prefer VPNs over proxies because of the enhanced privacy and security they provide, smart DNS proxies can sometimes be more effective at bypassing Amazon’s geo-restrictions.
Moreover, Smart DNS is useful if you want to unblock an app, or just a content library, on devices that don’t support VPN software.
On devices such as Apple TV and games consoles like Xbox and PlayStation, using Smart DNS is a simpler solution to bypassing geo-blocks.
The VPNs with the most effective Smart DNS solutions for streaming are:
- ExpressVPN (MediaStreamer)
- Surfshark
- Windscribe (Control D)
Updating our IP address with ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer.
9. Buy a Residential IP Address
One of the checks Amazon runs on IP addresses is whether it is a residential or a non-residential IP address.
Many VPN servers are located in data centers, which is easy for a service to see through IP and DNS server checks.
If a VPN isn’t sophisticated enough and can’t hide its VPN traffic from Amazon, it will likely get blocked if detected.
A workaround that has worked in most of our streaming tests over the years is to purchase a residential IP address from your VPN provider.
Residential IP addresses belong to everyday ISPs like AT&T and Comcast, and you will appear as a regular home user on a standard ISP connection.
Very few VPN services offer residential IP addresses, though. Windscribe is the only top streaming VPN with residential IPs in the USA (Chicago, Dallas) and Canada (Toronto).
Windscribe’s residential IP addresses work with Prime Video.
We tested Windscribe’s Chicago AT&T IP address and it accessed the Prime Video US catalog without issues.
But, residential IPs aren’t cheap. Windscribe charges $96.00 per year for one, with no option to pay monthly and no refunds allowed.
EXPERT ADVICE: Residential IPs and Dedicated IPs are not the same. A dedicated IP address still belongs to a data center and therefore is more likely to be blocked by a streaming platform.
The Best VPNs for Amazon Prime Video
We examined 62 VPNs using our unique methodology to identify those that actually work with Amazon Prime Video.
Only 32 VPNs were able to get around Amazon’s VPN blocks, of which just three made it into our recommendations list.
Use the table below to compare side by side the three most reliable VPNs for avoiding Prime Video VPN errors:
These three VPNs consistently bypassed Prime Video geo-blocks and delivered high speeds for Full HD and 4K streaming on user-friendly apps for desktop, mobile, Fire TV Stick, and Android TV devices.
1. ExpressVPN: Best VPN for Amazon Prime Video
Ranked #1 out of 62 VPN services for Amazon Prime Video
ExpressVPN is easily the best VPN for unblocking Amazon Prime Video libraries around the world.
The VPN easily bypassed Prime’s geo-blocks at every single attempt, and across all the devices we tested it with. Speeds were impressively fast, ensuring Full HD streaming even on connections traveling thousands of miles.
Importantly, ExpressVPN also has user-friendly apps for every device, including Fire TV Stick and Android TV.
Access to Prime Video 100% of the Time
Throughout all of our testing, ExpressVPN was not detected or blocked by Prime Video on a single occasion. This ensures hassle-free access to geo-blocked content.
It also works reliably with Amazon’s free movie streaming site, Freevee, which is included as part of Prime Video for US, UK, and Germany residents. If you’re outside these countries, simply connect to an ExpressVPN server and stream it for free.
We used ExpressVPN to unblock ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ on US Prime Video from the UK.
Our speed tests show that ExpressVPN is one of the fastest VPNs for long-distance connections, averaging 85Mbps. These speeds ensure buffer-free Full HD streaming despite thousands of miles of distance.
Watch Prime Video on Every Device
ExpressVPN is compatible with every device. We downloaded and tested each ExpressVPN app for Prime Video, including custom apps for desktop (Windows and macOS), mobile (Android and iOS), and Linux. All of them are intuitive and user-friendly.
We also tested ExpressVPN’s app for Fire TV Stick and Android TV, which are useful for streaming Prime Video on large-screen devices.
ExpressVPN’s Firestick app unblocks Prime Video and includes a kill switch
The Fire TV Stick app design could be refined. Currently the interface stretches across large screen devices in an unattractive way, and there’s no way of knowing which button is being selected.
If you want to watch Prime Video on a device with no ExpressVPN app, you can use the MediaStreamer Smart DNS solution or the ExpressVPN router app. This allows you to unblock Prime Video on Apple TV, Roku, Nintendo, Xbox, and PlayStation.
EXPERT ADVICE: Your Fire TV Stick is linked to your Amazon account. To watch blocked Prime Video content, follow the normal instructions above and link it to an account registered in the desired country. Be aware that you’ll only have access to apps available in your new account’s regional app store.
You should use ExpressVPN if:
- You want to watch blocked Prime Video content on multiple devices.
ExpressVPN is the most widely-compatible VPN on the market, so you can watch geo-restricted Prime Video on any device of your choosing.
You should not use ExpressVPN if:
- You are on a budget.
ExpressVPN is the best overall VPN, but it’s also one of the most expensive.
2. PrivateVPN: Cheapest VPN for Prime Video
PrivateVPN is a high-quality, affordable alternative for Prime Video. It’s not as fast as ExpressVPN, and it doesn’t have a smart DNS option, but it’s a simple and effective way to unblock Prime Video — especially on desktop and mobile devices.
Affordable VPN for Prime Video Access
Our tests found that PrivateVPN is never detected by Prime Video’s VPN blocks. For $2.00, it’s one of the cheapest top-rated VPNs available — almost four times cheaper than ExpressVPN.
We used PrivateVPN to stream the US-exclusive movie ‘Marry Me’ from the UK.
Our PrivateVPN speed tests recorded an average international connection speed of 82Mbps. This is more than fast enough for buffer-free HD streaming, but it’s still slower than ExpressVPN.
Available On Most Devices, But No Smart DNS
PrivateVPN has some of the best custom apps on the market due to their simple and consistent design.
You can watch geo-blocked Prime Video via PrivateVPN on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux. The Fire TV Stick and Android TV apps are very effective at unblocking streaming services, especially Prime Video.
PrivateVPN’s Fire TV is simple and unblocks Prime Video & Freevee.
However, PrivateVPN is not as effective as ExpressVPN when it comes to watching Prime Video on devices and platforms that aren’t compatible with VPNs, like Roku, Xbox, and PlayStation. This is because it doesn’t have a Smart DNS tool.
There is a way to watch Prime Video on these devices, but it requires you to manually install PrivateVPN on your router.
You should use PrivateVPN if:
- You want to stream on a budget.
PrivateVPN is incredible value and the cheapest top-tier VPN available.
You should not use PrivateVPN if:
- You want to stream Prime Video on devices that are not VPN-compatible.
Unlike ExpressVPN, PrivateVPN has no smart DNS tool to watch Prime Video on devices like Roku, Apple TV, or games consoles. Router setup has to be done manually, too.
3. Windscribe Free: Best Free VPN for Prime Video
Our tests show that Windscribe is the only free VPN that goes undetected by Amazon’s VPN blocks – making it the best free VPN for Amazon Prime Video and Freevee. Its 10GB data allowance is restrictive but still generous considering it’s completely free and safe to use.
Explore Prime Video Libraries for Free
Throughout our tests, Windscribe Free has never been detected by Prime Video. It enables you to explore up to 11 different Prime Video libraries completely free.
We streamed the US Prime-exclusive ‘World War Z’ using Windscribe Free.
You are restricted to the Prime Video regions that are included in Windscribe Free’s limited server list. This includes the US and Canada catalogs, which are the biggest and most desirable.
The drawback of Windscribe Free is its data limit and inferior speeds to ExpressVPN and PrivateVPN. Our speed tests showed an average international speed of 87Mbps. However, it’s unlikely you’ll ever experience lag.
Windscribe’s 10GB of data cap will only allow you to stream Prime Video for a limited number of hours before the data allowance resets in the following month.
The Best Free VPN for Prime Video on Fire TV Stick
We downloaded and tested every Windscribe app. It has easy-to-use custom apps for a variety of devices, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux.
It’s the best free VPN for Fire TV Stick, Fire TV, and Android TV. You can also run an unlimited number of simultaneous VPN connections.
Windscribe’s Firestick app is easy to use and accesses Prime Video.
Windscribe has a very effective Smart DNS tool called Control D, but it is not free and you have to pay separately for it, even if you’re a Windscribe VPN subscriber.
If you want to stream Prime Video on devices incompatible with VPNs, like Roku, you can install Windscribe on your router manually. But this is quite technical, and nowhere near as useful as ExpressVPN’s router app.
You should use Windscribe Free if:
- You don’t want to spend any money.
Windscribe Free is the only free VPN that works with Amazon Prime Video, so it’s the best choice for those looking to beat Amazon’s blocks without spending money.
You should not use Windscribe Free if:
- You want unlimited streaming capacity.
Windscribe Free only allows you to use 10GB of its free data. After that, you’ll have to wait until it refreshes next month.
Other VPNs We Tested for Prime Video
Following our Prime Video unblocking tests, below are three popular VPNs that underperformed compared to our three top recommendations.
CyberGhost
What we don’t like: CyberGhost is able to unblock Prime Video and it has an eye-pleasing Firestick app, so it is a good choice for Prime Video. However, its inconsistent speeds means we caution against it. And while it is cheap, PrivateVPN is even cheaper.
NordVPN
What we don’t like: NordVPN is another top-tier VPN that is able to access Prime Video, but it’s performance is less reliable on Fire TV and so ExpressVPN is the better choice.
PureVPN
What we don’t like: We like the look and feel of PureVPN’s Firestick app, but it has proven unreliable at accessing Prime Video in our tests.
How to Watch Amazon Prime Video with a VPN
Changing your IP address alone will not unblock more Prime Video libraries. However, it’s not impossible as some websites claim.
You can use a VPN to set up an Amazon account that’s associated with any country in the world. If you use your new account while connected to a VPN server in that country, you’ll be able to unblock and stream Prime Video content from that location.
We used a VPN to access the American Prime Video library from overseas. By connecting to a VPN server in the USA and setting up a new Amazon account, we bypassed Amazon’s geo-blocks and error codes.
How to Unblock Amazon Prime Video Using a VPN
1. Choose a VPN with servers in the country you want to unblock. We recommend ExpressVPN because of its huge choice of server locations and wide device compatibility.
2. Log out of any existing Amazon account you may have.
3. Connect to a VPN server in the region you want to unblock. For our example, we’re using a VPN server in the US.
4. Navigate to the Amazon URL of the country you wish to access. In our case, we went to amazon.com rather than amazon.co.uk. You should see the country’s flag in the top right corner of the website.
5. Hover over Hello, sign in and select Start here beside New Customer.
6. Create your new Amazon account, filling in your details when prompted.
7. You will then be prompted to add your phone number for authentication, which is mandatory. You do not need a US phone number to do this. However, it does have to be a number that’s not already associated with an account.
8. Once you have confirmed a phone number, your account will be created. To access Prime Video, you’ll also have to insert payment details. This does not have to be a US payment method.
9. While still connected to a VPN server in your chosen country, navigate to Amazon Prime Video. You will now be able to watch content that was previously blocked in your location.
How to Create an Amazon Account in a New Country
The video below demonstrates how to create a new Amazon account in a new country.
We used ExpressVPN to set up a US Amazon account and stream a geo-blocked movie from the USA Prime Video library:
We streamed ‘The Electrical Life of Louis Wain’ from the UK, despite US Prime Video geo-blocks.
EXPERT ADVICE: If you use a VPN to access a different Prime Video region but you haven’t set up an account in that region, Amazon will only offer a selection of Prime Original content. This content is not geo-restricted, and you do not need a VPN to access it. But it is limited compared to the full Prime Video library.
Why Does Amazon Prime Video Block VPNs?
Amazon tries to block VPN access to Prime Video because of licensing agreements with media companies. These agreements compel the company to only display specific content in certain regions.
Since VPNs can bypass geo-restrictions, Amazon attempts to block VPN users. This is why only a select few VPN services are able to circumvent the platform’s geo-restrictions.
Amazon Prime Video detects your location based on both your Amazon account details and your IP address.
Unlike Netflix, Prime Video content does not change even if you physically travel to another country.
You’ll know your VPN is blocked on Prime Video if you receive error codes 4601, 1042, or the HTTPS proxy error message:
“Your device is connected to the Internet using a VPN or proxy service. Please disable it and try again.”
Free VPNs That Don't Work with Amazon Prime Video
Based on our extensive tests, the only free VPN that works with Amazon Prime Video is Windscribe Free.
Because they do not invest in evading Prime Video’s VPN detection, these popular free VPNs currently do not work:
- Atlas VPN Free
- Betternet Free
- FreeVPN by FreeVPN.org
- Hide.me Free
- Hola VPN
- Hotspot Shield Free
- ProtonVPN Free
- TunnelBear Free
- VPNhub Free
- X-VPN Free
How We Test VPNs for Amazon Prime Video
We tested 62 VPNs to see which offer the best support for watching Amazon Prime Video.
As there are no benefits from using a VPN with Prime shopping, this does not form a part of our evaluation of the best VPNs for Prime Video.
The highest-rated VPNs for Prime video consistently go undetected by Prime Video VPN blocks. We also tested each VPN with the free movie hub, Freevee, which is part of Prime Video.
The best VPNs for Prime Video have fast long-distance speeds that guarantee Full HD streaming even when connecting from thousands of miles away.
On top of that, the best VPNs have apps for a wide range of devices, including Windows, Android, macOS, iOS, Fire TV, and Android TV. You should be able to watch Prime Video on-the-go or at home.
We give additional points to VPNs that offer Smart DNS and router compatibility for those looking to watch Prime Video on devices that are not compatible with VPNs, such as Roku and games consoles.
We calculate the overall Amazon Prime Video VPN rating based on the weighting of each category we test for:
- Unblocks Prime Video & Freevee: 50%
- Speed: 20%
- Streaming Device Compatibility: 20%
- Smart DNS & Router Compatibility: 10%
Data Cap Penalty
Data Cap Penalty
Nearly all free VPNs come with a data cap. As is the case with most limitations on free VPNs, this is implemented to encourage users to upgrade to the paid service.
This data cap will limit the amount of movies and TV shows you can watch on Amazon Prime Video.
We apply a penalty to the VPN’s final overall Amazon Prime Video rating based on its data cap:
- Unlimited bandwidth: No deduction to the overall rating
- 10GB per month: -20% to the overall rating
- 500MB per day: -25% to the overall rating
- 5GB per month: -30% to the overall rating
- 1GB per month: -35% to the overall rating
- 200MB per day: -40% to the overall rating
- 500MB per month: -50% to the overall rating
